Title: Presumption of Guilt – Chapter 8

Author: hisgoodgirl

Disclaimer: All belongs to Joss. I got nada but my imagination.

Characters: Crew, omc, ofc.

Warning: PG for graphic violence, profanity and other grownup things.

Setting: In the town of Silverton, on Santo, immediately prior to “The Train Job”.

Words: 2,075

A/N: As a kid, my two favorite TV genres were westerns and detective shows. I finally decided to tackle both in a mix I’ve thought of as “Firefly CSI”. Click my name to access the previous chapters. If you’re following this tale, I’d really appreciate hearing what you think. Remember, feedback is what writers (and muses) live for. And if you’re enjoying this, please pimp it to your friends. Thanks!

X - posted from my LiveJournal.

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Presumption of Guilt

Chapter Eight

“Ma’am, I need you and your friend to come out right now.” The young deputy facing Zoe was tense and wide-eyed. Zoe could hear the fear in his voice. “Looks like we got a batch a folks intent on havin’ themselves a lynchin’!”

“Kay-lee?” Zoe’s rising call echoed through the lockup. “Up here – now!”

Jayne pressed against the cell bars, his blue eyes wide. “I wish the ruttin’ hell I had my gun,” he cursed to himself, then told the mechanic, “You stick with Zo, you hear? She’ll keep ya safe! And Kaylee… thanks.”

The urgency in Zoe’s voice left no room for delay. With one anxious backward glance at Jayne, the girl turned and ran the length of the cell aisle. “Oh God, Zoe, what’re we gonna do?” she blurted.

The deputy pushed the two women ahead of him through the pass-through door, locking it behind them. Once the three of them were in the office, he dropped the ward-bar across the wide door that opened in from the street. “Sheriff Garvey’ll be here shortly. One of the other men went to get him,” he informed them. “You,” he waved at Zoe, “help me git these shutters bolted, so we can at least slow ‘